PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia police say a man who had just been released from prison was shot and killed outside the entrance of the correctional complex in Holmesburg early Thursday morning.
Police say 20-year-old Rodney Hargrove made bail and was released at 1 a.m. Around 2 a.m., he was shot several times and killed outside the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
Police say Hargrove was taken to the SEPTA bus stop on State Road to wait for family to pick him up. But when a dark-colored car approached him, he ran.
“Mr. Hargrove then ran back onto prison grounds after being pursued by a vehicle,” said Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney. “The occupants of the vehicle caught up with Mr. Hargrove and then shot and killed him.”
Carney said the car actually went through the main gate, which had its arm raised for some reason. She said they’re investigating why the gate was open. One prison guard was assigned to the gate.
Investigators say Hargrove was shot at close range. They found about 10 spent shell casings near the victim’s body.
According to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, prison guards said they did not see what happened but did see the dark-colored car speed away from the complex.
Small also said the incident was not captured on any of the surveillance cameras, but they're looking to see if there's any other possible footage that would help this case.
Authorities say Hargrove's last known address is in Germantown. He was arrested on March 10 and taken to Curran-Fromhold the next day. He was facing several charges, including theft, gun offenses and fleeing from police.